A Melbourne woman has talked about the horrifying moment she discovered her daughter was being groomed by a Justin Bieber impersonator on a popular kids' social media app.
Alicia Bellette said she "felt sick" after reading the messages an unidentified predator sent to her eight-year-old daughter Charlie, on popular app Musical.ly.
Ms Bellette said she bought her daughter an iPad to use for games and schoolwork, but felt "apprehensive" about allowing her access to the social media app.
Musical.ly is an iPad and iPhone social media app which allows users to create music videos and share them with friends.
Ms Bellette told News.com.au she was the last of the parents her daughter's friends to allow Charlie access to the app, and only gave in once her daughter agreed to have her profile picture as one of both her and her parents.
Alicia, from Melbourne's western suburbs, said she was fixing Charlie's hair on Monday night when a series of sinister notifications popped up on the iPad.
They were sent from "the real Justin Bieber", asking Charlie for naked photos.
"Who wants to win a 5 minute video call with me?" the first message read.
"All you need to do is send me a photo of you naked, or of your vagina," read the next.
"Lots of girls send me these pics all the time I will never tell anyone."
"Message me right now if you want to do it".
Ms Bellette said she immediately took the iPad to the police station, where officers were also horrified but "limited in what they could do".
Alicia blocked the user, reported him to Musical.ly and sent the app creators an email. She also told parents at Charlie's school about the messages.
It's not the first time an online predator has posed as 23-year-old pop star Justin Bieber to try and gain access to young children.
Earlier this month a Queensland man was charged with 931 sex crimes against children, and allegedly posed as Justin Bieber on Facebook and Skype to gain access to the children.
Newshub.
